Potato growers will have another option for controlling blight this season, following the launch of Shinkon (amisulbrom) at this year’s Crop Protection in Northern Britain conference in Dundee.

The product is approved against foliar and tuber blight and stacks up well against current actives, Keith Dawson of the Scottish Agricultural College said.

In 2005 SAC trials, untreated plots were almost completely killed by foliar blight by the end of the season, whereas incidence in those treated with Shinkon (codenamed NC-224 20SC at the time) was just 0.2%, compared with 0.5% for Dithane [mancozeb], 0.1% Ranman [cyazofamid] and 0.9% Curzate [cymoxanil + mancozeb], he said.

Tuber blight incidence for each treatment pre- and post-storage was 0.3%, 9.2%, 0.8% and 6% respectively.

“Amisulbrom has big advantages over Dithane against tuber blight,” Dr Dawson said.

“The results obtained in this trial are typical of those obtained throughout northern Europe.”

The optimum (and maximum individual) dose in high disease pressure situations is 0.5 litres/ha and growers will be allowed up to six applications per crop.

To reduce the risk of fungicide resistance developing, the product cannot make up more than 50% of the total blight spray programme, he added.

“Amisulbrom will have a space, but the market it’s competing in is very crowded,” Agrovista’s Mark Palmer commented.

“It will be interesting to see how it performs against other products like Ranman and Infinito [fluopicolide + propamocarb hydrochloride].”

Amisulbrom at a glance:

• Protectant fungicide for use against foliar and tuber blight
  
• Max dose 0.5 litres/ha (100g/ha amisulbrom)
  
• 7-10 day spray interval
  
• Max six applications per crop
  
• Max 50% of total spray programme
  
• Seven-day harvest interval
  
• LERAP category B